Page 262 of Psycho Beasts

Staring into his dark eyes, the memory of Hunter saying Z had told him about our third trial whispered through my brain.

Oh shit.

Before I could do anything, a knife flashed through the air.

Burning pain.

Z shoved me away, and I stumbled, unsure of what had just happened.

What hurt so fucking bad?

In slow motion, I looked down.

Gore.

It lay on the floor, a small ring glowing blue on it.

Blood dripped.

My finger lay severed on the white marble ground, severed cleanly off by one swipe of a blade.

Shock set in, and I turned in horror to stare at Z, who was sneering down at me with a knife in his hand.

Molly’s shoulders slumped, but she didn’t look surprised.

I couldn’t think.

Couldn’t move.

Just stared in horror at my finger on the ground, the gaping cavity on my hand spurting blood, and the instructors who had betrayed me.

But Molly had tried to warn me.

I shivered as sweat burned my eyes, and I went to wipe it away. Warm blood spurted across my face as I accidentally brought up my mangled hand.

Everything shook as I shivered uncontrollably.

This was my limit.

What. The. Fuck.

I would have collapsed, but my knees had locked, the world spinning around me as the shock overwhelmed me.

I wasn’t coming back from this.

Did I even want to?

The don’s words ran through me—“Be careful, my son. This realm is crueler than you can even imagine.”

Blood dripped from my hand as I stood there and waited.

Waited for the punch line.

The purpose of the savagery.

Waited for the fucking point to be made.

“You bastard,” I whispered at Z as shock slowly wore off and unadulterated rage burned me from the inside out.

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